Cluster 3
Personal, Social and Moral
Development
Overview:
Erik Erikson
Self Concept and Self Esteem
Lawrence Kohlberg
Socialization
Challenges for Children
Erik Erikson’s 8 stages of Psychosocial Development
Stage 1: Trust vs. Mistrust
– Birth to 12-18 months
– development dependent upon whether needs are met
– develop a sense of trust and security in their environment and in adults
who care for them
– trust is important—security means confidence to go out and explore
world away from secure home base
Stage 2: Autonomy vs. Shame/Doubt
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18 months to 3 years
beginning of self control and self confidence
sense of autonomy
must be supportive of children’s efforts and encouraging
Erikson cont…
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Stage 3: Initiative vs. Guilt
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Stage 4: Industry vs. Inferiority
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3 to 6 years
more initiative based on confidence
more assertive
learns that some activities are not allowed, some impulses must be
checked
focus on activity as inappropriate vs. child is bad
Elementary and Middle School Years-6-12 years
More demand placed to perform in work-related sense
Success in works is rewarding, produces a sense of industry
Unsuccessful attempts in works/criticisms results in feelings of inferiority
Industrious childhood leads to well-adjusted adulthood
Stage 5: Identity vs. Role Confusion
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Adolescence
search for identity: “who am I?” based on earlier resolutions
role confusion may develop if conflicts arise
establishment of identity provides firm basis for adulthood
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4 alternatives to Stage 5
1. Identity Achievement
2. Identity Foreclosure
4. Moratorium
3. Identity Diffusion
Erikson cont…
Beyond the School Years
•Stage 6: Intimacy vs. Isolation
• Young adulthood
• Ability ot have a close personal relationship or not
•Stage 7: Generativity vs. Stagnation
• Middle Adulthood
• Sense of concern for generations
• Seek to nurture growth of self and others if successful, if not,
stagnates by remaining same and not seeking to further develop
• productivity and creativity are essential
•Stage 8: Ego Integrity vs. Despair
•Late adulthood
•Integrity to mean consolidating one’s sense of self
•Success;: self acceptance, fulfillment and acceptance of inevitable death
•Unsuccessful: Look back on life with despair and futility
How Erikson’s Theory Can Help Teachers
See GUIDELINES pps. 64 and 66.
Self-Concept and Self-Esteem
Self Concept- a cognitive structure of ideas, feelings and attitudes that people have
about themselves. Picture of yourself
Self-Esteem- an affective reaction/evaluation of who the self concept. Opinion of yourself
Factoids:
-Multiple concepts of self
-determined by number of social and personal factors and academic factors
-peer influences
- development occurs through constant comparisons to self and self to others
• Personal-Internal
• Social-External
“I compare my math to my
science performance.”
“I compare my math performance
to the math performance of my
peers.”
“I compare my appearance today
to my appearance yesterday.”
“I compare my popularity to that of
my friends.”
Suggestions for Encouraging Self-Esteem Table 6.2, p. 71
Personal and Collective Self-Esteem
Collective Self-Esteem (cse): sense of worth of the groups to which we
belong
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When groups to which we belong are de-valued, loss of c.s.e can occur
Many from different ethnic groups hear/view messages that de-value ethnic
patterns.
Great efforts must be made to encourage ethnic pride so differences from
dominant culture are not perceived to be deficits.
– students who have adopted the value from both cultures have a greater sense of
identity and self-esteem
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perspective-taking ability: understanding that others have different feelings
and experiences increases as children mature
see Family and Community Partnerships, p. 74 and
Table 6.3, Emotional Competence Skills and GUIDELINES,
Encouraging Emotional Competence, p. 75
Lawrence Kohlberg
Theory of Moral Development
3 LEVELS
Level 1. Preconventional Moral Reasoning
Typical of ages up to 10
Make decisions based on others’ rules and own personal needs
Don’t fully understand rules set down by others
Stage 1: Punishment-Obedience
Stage 2: Personal Rewards/Market Exchange
Level 2. Conventional Reasoning
Typically 10-20 year olds
Conformity to rules and conventions of society
Make decisions based on need for approval, family expectations
Judgments based on right or wrong
Stage 3: Interpersonal Harmony/Good Boy-Nice Girl Orientation
Stage 4: Law and Order
Kohlberg cont…
Level 3. Post Conventional Moral Reasoning
Rarely reached before 20 years of age and only by small portion
Focus on principle’s underlying society’s rules
Actions driven more by personal morality than society’s laws
Willingness to take consequences of actions—belief vs. law
Stage 5: Social Contract
Stage 6: Universal Principles
Be sure to read the criticisms/alternatives of Kohlberg’s theory on beginning on p. 80
Ideas such as:
1. Stages are not separate, sequenced and consistent
2. Other aspects of moral maturity are not taken into account
3. Cultural differences in moral reasoning are ignored
Moral Behavior
Modeling-
Direct instruction, supervision, rewards and punishment and correction
leads to internalization
Modeling by caring generous adults who show concern for the rights
and feelings of others
Internalization- when children adopt the moral rules and principles of the authority
figures
More likely to adopt external standards as own if given reasons when
corrected for actions
Aggression vs. Assertiveness
Forms of Aggression: Instrumental (intentional to get what you want)
Hostile (inflicting intentional harm)
Overt- threats/physical attacks
Relational-threaten/damage social relationships
Modeling
-a determining factor in aggressive behaviors
-observed in many places
-Home
-Television
-Films and video games
Characteristics of Today’s Students
-Both parents working
-single parent families
-latchkey kids
-blended families
-divorce and effects on children
-peer relationships/culture and pressures
See GUIDELINES, p. 84- Dealing with Aggression and Encouraging Cooperation
Table 7.3, p. 85 Recognizing the Warning Sign of Violence
GUIDELINES, p. 89, Helping Children of Divorce
• New Role for Teachers
– Teachers may be best source for
problem solutions
– Caring, firm classroom structure
– Clear limits
– Respect students
– Model genuine concern
• Challenges for
Children
– Physical Development
• fine and gross motor skills
in early grades
• physical growth
differences in elementary
grades
• physical changes greatly
influence identity
– Adolescence and puberty
Children and Youth at Risk
-Child Abuse- see Table 3.7, p. 95 for Indicators
• gender differences
• early and late bloomers
-many cases unreported
-abusers: parents, siblings, relatives, neighbors, community leaders/members
and teachers
-as a teacher, YOU MUST NOTIFY your principal, school psychologist or
social worker if you SUSPECT abuse
-many abusers can change behavior is they receive help
Children and Youth at Risk cont…
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Teenage Sexuality and Pregnancy
– 80% of American men and 75% of American women have had sexual intercourse
by 19 years of age
– Physical and Emotional consequences of sexual activity
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Eating Disorders
– Bulimia
– Anorexia Nervosa
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Drug Abuse
– High percentage of high school seniors report some experience with alcohol
– 20% of seniors are daily smokers
– 30% tried at least one drug
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AIDS
– incredible growth rate
– contracted through sexual contact or IV drug use
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Suicide
– Warning Signs
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changes in eating and sleeping habits
changes in grades
changes in disposition, activity level and or friends
giving away of prized possessions
depression or hyperactivity
statements indicating nothing matters or statements about death
excessive work or school absences